Saudi Arabia is witnessing a boom in the sports stadium construction market, in preparation for the Kingdom hosting the 2034 World Cup.
The Kingdom’s sports infrastructure is preparing to receive a number of new stadiums expected to be completed by 2029, before the start of the 2034 World Cup.
A few days ago, the Royal Commission for Riyadh City and the Ministry of Sports announced the designs and future plans for King Salman Stadium and its sports facilities, one of the largest sports stadiums in the world, which will be the headquarters of the Saudi national team and will host major sporting events and activities.
King Salman Stadium location
King Salman Stadium is located north of Riyadh on King Salman Road next to King Abdulaziz Park. It is distinguished by its proximity to vital sites in the city such as King Khalid International Airport and is connected to the Riyadh train station and main road axes, which facilitates access to it from all parts of the city.
The stadium’s construction comes with the support of the Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques, King Salman bin Abdulaziz Al Saud – may God support him – and His Royal Highness Prince Mohammed bin Salman bin Abdulaziz Al Saud, Crown Prince, Prime Minister – may God protect him – and out of interest in sports and athletes through developing the sector, empowering them and improving their performance, which greatly contributes to enhancing the Kingdom’s position as a leading center for sports.
The design of King Salman Stadium and its sports facilities, scheduled for completion in the fourth quarter of 2029, was selected from among several designs submitted by six specialized international companies. These companies presented their best ideas and designs, meeting FIFA's requirements and standards of sustainability and architectural excellence. The chosen master plan and design are inspired by the mountainous terrain and are integrated with King Abdulaziz Park, connecting it to the valley that runs through the park surrounding the stadium and its green spaces. The main stadium's architectural design features green walls and roofs covering an area exceeding 96,500 square meters. The stadium's design draws inspiration from local architecture and fulfills the requirements of environmental sustainability and green building. This will add a distinctive global architectural landmark to the sports scene, making it capable of hosting major local and international entertainment events. It will contribute to raising the quality of life in Riyadh and enhancing the city's global ranking as one of the "most livable cities in the world."
King Salman Stadium area
King Salman Stadium and its sports facilities cover an area of over 660,000 square meters, including a range of facilities for practicing various sports activities. It also includes a number of shopping centers and recreational areas available to all age groups throughout the day, making it an attractive destination for visitors from inside and outside the Kingdom.
King Salman Stadium has a total seating capacity of 92,000 and includes a royal box with 150 seats, 120 hospitality suites, 300 VIP seats, and 2,000 important person seats. The stadium features sustainable cooling systems for the spectator seats and the stadium floor. The stadium is surrounded by screens extending internally for the spectators, in addition to the availability of internal gardens and a walking path on the stadium roof with a distinctive view of King Abdul Aziz Park, providing an exceptional experience for visitors.
King Salman Stadium master plan
The master plan for King Salman Stadium also includes a number of sports facilities surrounding the main stadium with an area exceeding 360,000 square meters, most notably two auxiliary training fields, fan areas, an indoor sports hall, an Olympic swimming pool and an athletics track, in addition to outdoor fields such as volleyball, basketball and padel courts for practicing various sports activities, which will be available to all age groups. All these facilities are connected via a sports track with a length of up to 9 kilometers around the perimeter of King Abdulaziz Park.
Roshan Stadium
Roshan Group, one of the Public Investment Fund’s companies, also announced the construction of an iconic stadium with world-class specifications, with a capacity of 45,000 seats, on a total area of more than 450,000 square meters, southwest of Riyadh.
Advantages of Rushen Stadium
The Roshan Stadium is distinguished by its mixed-use design, encompassing a wide range of shops, restaurants, and hospitality venues. At its heart lies a main stadium dedicated to hosting sporting events and activities, seamlessly connecting its various facilities within an open and interconnected design. This project will become a prominent landmark in southwest Riyadh, boasting a striking, crystalline design whose edges rise to create a visually stunning backdrop for the surrounding area. The design is inspired by the urban fabric and architectural features of the central region of Saudi Arabia.
This stadium represents an important step in the Roshen Group’s expansion journey, which includes the field of sports facility development, and is evidence of the group’s commitment to contributing to improving the quality of life through the application of the “Roshen” approach to sustainable real estate development, in line with the Kingdom’s Vision 2030.
Visitors to the stadium will enjoy access to sports facilities available around the stadium, such as pedestrian walkways and public green spaces, making it a vibrant destination.
Rushen Stadium design
The Roshan Stadium was designed to meet all the requirements for hosting major international sporting events, as well as other entertainment, cultural and social events. It will enhance the use of the latest technologies such as solar energy, which is integrated into the stadium’s integrated infrastructure. The stadium’s roof design also helps to enhance air movement, ensuring adequate ventilation, as well as controlling the amount of sunlight entering the stadium during daylight hours.
In this context, Dr. Khaled Johar, the CEO in charge of the Roshan Group, said: “The Roshan Stadium project embodies the strategic direction that Roshan is witnessing in transforming into a multi-asset real estate developer. We are proud to present this ambitious project that will contribute to improving the quality of life and providing a wonderful experience for the residents of Riyadh, and enhances the Kingdom’s attractiveness for hosting international competitions.
Aramco Stadium
Saudi Aramco, one of the world’s leading integrated energy and chemicals companies, began work yesterday on the construction of the “ Aramco Stadium ” with a capacity of approximately 47,000 seats.
The new stadium, which will be built in Al-Khobar, is expected to be completed by 2026, becoming the main stadium for Al-Qadisiyah Club, owned by Saudi Aramco, and one of the main venues for the Asian Cup tournament that the Kingdom will host in 2027.
Saudi Aramco, in cooperation with the Roshan Group – one of the Public Investment Fund companies – is working on building a football stadium that embodies the latest global technologies and integrated cooling systems to provide an ideal environment for spectators.
The stadium's design is inspired by the shape of the water whirlpool commonly seen on the coasts of Al-Khobar, where the stadium's shape combines authenticity and innovation.
On this occasion, Nabil Al-Jamea, Executive Vice President of Human Resources and Support Services at Saudi Aramco, affirmed Saudi Aramco’s belief that sports play an effective role in creating opportunities, improving quality of life, and positively impacting society. Therefore, it aspires for the Aramco Stadium to be a beacon for national and international sports, entertainment, and community events in the Eastern Province.
In the same context, the Ministry of Sports announced an investment tender through the “Opportunities” platform for the construction, operation and maintenance of two hotels in King Abdullah Sports City in Jeddah.
The ministry said in an infographic published on its social networking site “X”, that the project is located on an area of 15,900 square meters, and the contract period will be 35 years, according to the details announced by the Ministry of Sports today.
She explained that the deadline for purchasing the terms and conditions booklet is November 3rd, and the competition began on July 28th, with the envelopes to be opened on November 4th.
The Ministry of Sports requires those wishing to apply for the project to have a valid commercial registration, the original tender form attached to the booklet, a valid Zakat and Income certificate, a certificate of membership in the Chamber of Commerce, a certificate issued by the General Organization for Social Insurance, a certificate of commitment to Saudization, a bank guarantee, and a technical bid.
